When it comes to sports blogging, On the Forecheck's Dirk Hoag has some advice: Don't be cookie cutter, and do it for the passion, not the money.

Hoag, who began blogging on the Nashville Predators in 2005, has distinguished himself as a local hockey expert and found a business opportunity. Instead of writing standard game previews and recaps, he has focused on bringing statistics to life and providing content on each individual player. His readers have rewarded him with growing page views.

When the season ended in 2012, he was generating 15,000 daily page views, with January 2011's monthly viewership at 277,000, up from 70,000 in the same month in 2010 — growth stemming in part from the Preds' success on the ice and the increased fan base. In 2005, before he was picked up by sports blog network SB Nation, he said he was happy to get 100 views in a day.

Then came the lockout, during which readership dropped to as low as 2,500 a day.

"Obviously, the lockout really threw a monkey wrench in all that," he said.

Since news broke this month that hockey was back on, daily page views have escalated again, reaching 10,000 a day, but that still won't make a huge difference to his wallet, he said.

"It's peanuts," he said. "In terms of the hours I put in, it's way less than minimum wage. People do it because it's their passion."

Hoag puts in two to three hours a day, or more than 100 hours a month, aggregating hockey news in the early hours before his full-time job as a systems analyst at Schneider Electric and finding more content and post ideas by night. Hoag said he grew up playing hockey informally in a pond near his home in Michigan and has always loved the game, making working during the games sometimes a tough balance.

"Frankly if I'm going to a game, I prefer to go with one of my kids," he said. "The whole point of sports is its entertainment, it's fun, it's the family experience being there with kids."

And when he isn't at the home games, he is managing the live game thread from home, where fans can comment as they follow the action.

"That's just a blast," he said. "It's like you are sitting around with your friends, for those of us who have kids and can't get to the sports bar, that's the closest thing."

Hoag, who also runs the blogs "Working the Net" and "Nashville Sports Hub," shares his tips on sports blogging, and blogging in general:

1. Find a unique angle: Find out where your interest and talent are and avoid cookie-cutter game stories.

2 Clear headlines. Put pithy one-liners in the story, but leave them out of a headline. It will distract the search engine and yield fewer hits.

3. Don't be afraid to change or adjust the blog. Respond to readers, Hoag said, pointing to his decision to include daily news and notes.

4. Establish some expectations to encourage commentary. Posting guidelines on what type or kind of commentary is appreciated, such as those on posting links or profanity, creates a more welcoming environment.

5. You don't have to be everywhere on the Internet. Choose a few platforms that suit you the most and do them well.